Fetal Monitoring During Pregnancy: Will This Become A New Tool To Reduce Risk Of Miscarriages And Stillbirths

Fetal Monitoring During Pregnancy

Fetal Monitoring During Pregnancy: Intrauterine death of a developing baby is tragic. Unfortunately to many expecting couples it is not uncommon. Estimates suggest that 1 out of 160 pregnancies will end in intrauterine death.

In a collaborative study between the University of Pavia and Mayo Clinic, 91 babies were studied that had died suddenly.These babies died on average at 26 weeks gestation. All were perfectly formed and looked normal. However, a careful review of their genetic makeup revealed a potential cause of their premature death. In 8.8% of these babies there were genetic mutations that predisposed the baby to Long QT syndrome. Long QT syndrome can result in fatal abnormal heart rhythms.